1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to camera mounts, and more specifically to a vibration dampening component for use in conjunction with a camera mount.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Many users place their portable devices in housings, either to mount the device on a larger object, to allow for the underwater operation of the device, or merely to protect the device from accidental damage. In particular, some portable cameras come with housings that may be placed on a mount coupled to a user or a piece of sporting equipment to allow a user to capture photographs or video while keeping one or both hands free. These housings and mounts are especially useful while the user is performing fast-paced physical activities, such as surfing, bicycling, kayaking, or skydiving.
Each camera mounts can include a variety of mount components coupled together to form a singular mount. The exact size and shape of each camera mount component can vary due to dimensional tolerances and process variation when manufacturing the mount components. As a result, the dimensional variance of each mount component can cause some mounts components to fit together less snugly than others, and can result in unintended minor gaps (“variation gaps”) between coupled mount components.
Using a camera and camera mount in the fast-paced physical activities discussed above often cause the camera housing and mount to experience rapid changes in movement, direction, and speed. For coupled mount components with variation gaps, such rapid changes in movement, direction, and speed can additionally cause the movement of a mount component coupled to the camera relative to another mount component (referred to herein as “camera vibration”). As a result, in addition to experiencing the same rapid changes in movement, direction, and speed, the camera mount can experience shaking or other rapid movement as a result of camera vibration. Camera operation in such circumstances can result in the capture of shaky, blurred, or unfocused images and video.